The whole world is not comprised of western anglosphere people

by fulltimestudent 4 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  fulltimestudent

  Couldn't help thinking the above when reading something about China today,

  It was about a Chinese boy band (a pop group organised and trained straight out of the same manual that turns out successful Kpop (South Korean) boy bands. The Chinese one is called TFBoys, and they have zoomed in popularity. Some of their popular songs are about standard sort of kids stuff, but then you find something like this:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gHhV_P2Fuc

  (The translation at the bottom is Indonesian.)

  I doubt that any anglosphere pop group could 'sell' any song like that. Idealism and positive thinking is seldom part of western youth culture.

  Here's the English words:

  We are the heirs of communism,
  Inheriting the glorious tradition of the forebearers of the Revolution;
  [To] love the motherland and the people,
  [While] the crimson red scarf flutters [or waves] at [our] chest.
  [We] do not fear hardship, nor the enemy,
  Studying hard and struggling with resolve;
  Towards victory, [we] courageously advance,
  Towards victory, [we] courageously advance,
  Towards victory, [we] courageously advance;
  We are the heirs of communism.
  
  We are the heirs of communism,
  Along the glorious path of the forebearers of the Revolution;
  [To] love the motherland and the people,
  "Young Pioneer Members" is our proud name.
  Ever be prepared, to contribute [i.e. to the cause],
  [And] to destroy completely the enemy.
  For [our] ideal, [we] courageously advance,
  For [our] ideal, [we] courageously advance,
  For [our] ideal, [we] courageously advance;
  We are the heirs of communism.

  
  

  The biggest problem with all that is that China has long ceased to be communist.

  
  
  
• 

  fulltimestudent

  Then (and more topical considering the opinions some have about Islam) note this report on Kuwait, as told by the ABC ( a government owned Media group in Australia).

  The heading chosen by the editors is:

  Kuwait is rich and advanced, but with a contradiction at its heart

  What is the contradiction? Essentially that it does not want to be western. Does that mean that it is regressive?

  As the author notes:

  So wealthy the government can charge zero taxes and provide free education and healthcare for all. (The National Assembly is currently debating the introduction of a 5 per cent GST-style consumption tax, and a flat 15 per cent income tax to compensate for an oil price that is just a third of what it was eight years ago.)
  Its generosity extends to beyond its borders, with a foreign aid budget that represents 8 per cent of GDP (26 times more generous than Australia's).
  Following instructions in the scriptures of Islam, Kuwaiti families also donate the equivalent of 2.5 per cent of their gross savings and assets to local charities every year.

  And then says:

  There's no question Kuwait is an advanced country but it's not Western and has no aspiration to be so.

  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-20/modern-kuwait-assumptions-emma-alberici/8452616

  As more and more Asian nations become propserous, we seem to be entering a world system where many of the concepts that the West (and particularly the Anglosphere) values, will not be the norm in these Asian nations.
• 

  dropoffyourkeylee

  LOL, I watched the video. Now I want one of those red scarfs
• 

  Esse quam videri

  Reword the song a bit and it would make a darn good 'kingdom song'.

  We are the heirs of the kingdom,
  Inheriting the glorious tradition of the preachers of the past;
  To love mother and the governing body,
  While the blue JW logo stands at our kingdom halls.
  We do not fear hardship, nor the enemy,
  Studying hard and struggling with resolve;
  Towards victory, we courageously advance,
  Towards victory, we courageously advance,
  Towards victory, we courageously advance;
  We are the heirs of the kingdom.
  
  We are the heirs of the kingdom,
  Along the glorious path of the preachers of the past;
  To love mother and the governing body,
  "Young Pioneer Members" is our proud name.
  Ever be prepared, to contribute to the cause,
  And to wait for Jehovah to destroy completely the enemy.
  For our ideal, we courageously advance,
  For our ideal, we courageously advance,
  For our ideal, we courageously advance;
  We are the heirs of kingdom.
• 

  fulltimestudent

  dropoffyourkeylee : LOL, I watched the video. Now I want one of those red scarfs

  Should not be difficult to find one David. Go to Alibaba (the enormous China based web market) and look for 'young pioneer' supplies. (Havn't tried, but it may work - lots of other countries (Cuba is one) had similar groups. All these youth groups area bit like the western scouting movement, who also wore a similar scarf.